Could Cardinal Dolan Become Pope?

New cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan (L), Archbishop of New York, receives the biretta cap from Pope Benedict XVI in Saint Peter's Basilica on February 18, 2012 in Vatican City, Vatican. The 84 year old Pontiff installed 22 new cardinals during the ceremony, who will be responsible for choosing his sucessor. (Getty/Franco Origlia)

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – Lots of pride and excitement among St. Louis area Catholics — as native son New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan is elevated to Cardinal. But what about all that talk of him possibly one day becoming the first American pope?

KMOX Religion Editor Fred Bodimer put that question to his youngest brother Patrick Dolan of St. Louis — who is one of 30 family members attending the ceremonies this weekend at the Vatican.

“It’s quite an honor that it’s even been talked about. I certainly couldn’t see it happening, not because he couldn’t or shouldn’t be, but because I just think the way the Church is it would stay on the European side or one of the big countries that have a bigger percentage of Catholics in their country,” Patrick Dolan replied.

He says, speaking purely in a selfish “little brother” sense — he hopes not — because the family hardly sees Cardinal Dolan as it is, and if he is elected pope someday, they’ll probably only see him on Midnight Mass at home on TV.